Apparatus for measuring child seat anchor tension

ABSTRACT

A child seat anchor apparatus includes at least one sensor for measuring tension exerted on a system including a pair of anchor brackets disposed between the bottom and back cushions of a vehicle seat. In a first mechanization, the anchor brackets are directly coupled to individual sensors mounted on an anchor frame that is bolted to the seat frame. In a second mechanization, the anchor brackets are fastened to an anchor frame that is pivotably mounted on the seat frame, and the anchor frame is additionally coupled to the seat frame through a single sensor responsive to the tension exerted on the anchor frame by the anchor brackets.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The subject application is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/705,708, filed Nov. 11, 2003.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a child seat anchor system for a motor vehicle seat, and more particularly to apparatus for measuring the tension exerted on the anchor system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vehicle occupant weight sensing systems are useful in connection with air bags and other pyrotechnically deployed restraints as a means of characterizing the occupant for purposes of determining whether to allow or suppress deployment of the restraints. In cases where an infant seat or child booster seat is placed on the seat cushion and cinched down with the seat belt, the presence of the infant or child seat can be detected based in part on a measure of the seat belt tension. However, in cases where the vehicle seat is equipped with a child seat anchoring system such as the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system, the infant or child seat can be secured using the seat anchors instead of the seat belt. Since tension applied to such child seat anchors produces an effect similar to that which occurs when the child seat is secured with the seat belt, it is desired to measure the tension exerted on such a child seat anchoring system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to apparatus for measuring the tension exerted on a child seat anchoring system including a pair of anchor brackets disposed between the bottom and back cushions of a vehicle seat. In a first embodiment, the anchor brackets are directly coupled to individual tension sensors mounted on an anchor frame that is bolted to the seat frame supporting the bottom cushion of the seat. In a second embodiment, the anchor brackets are fastened to an anchor frame that is pivotably mounted on the seat frame, and the anchor frame is additionally coupled to the seat frame through a single strain sensor responsive to the tension exerted on the anchor frame by the anchor brackets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a vehicle seat including an occupant weight estimation apparatus and a child seat anchor tension measurement apparatus according to a first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the anchor tension measurement apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial diagram of a vehicle seat equipped with a child seat anchor tension measurement apparatus according to a second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 4 is rear view of the anchor tension measurement apparatus of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-2, the present invention is disclosed in the context of a vehicle passenger seat 10 equipped with a fluid-filled seat cushion bladder 12 for estimating the weight of a seat occupant based on the fluid pressure in the bladder 12. An exit port of the bladder 12 is coupled to a pressure sensor 14 by a tube 16, and the pressure sensor output is supplied to a passenger occupant detection system electronic control unit (PODS ECU) 18, which determines if deployment of supplemental restraints for the occupant of seat 10 should be enabled or disabled. In general, however, the present invention also applies to other types of occupant weight sensing systems, such as systems that sense the strain in seat frame 20, or systems that include a network of pressure sensitive cells distributed over the seating area of bottom cushion 22.

The seat 10 is equipped with a pair of child seat anchor brackets 24 a, 24 b for securely fastening an infant or child booster seat 26 to the seat 10 via the tethers 26 a (only one of which is depicted in FIG. 1). The anchor brackets 24 a, 24 b are located near the left and right rear corners of the cushion 22, and the outboard end of each bracket 24 a, 24 b is disposed in a gap between the cushions 22 and 28 as shown.

In general, the present invention is directed to an apparatus including at least one tension or strain sensor coupled to an anchor frame for measuring the tension exerted on the anchor brackets 24 a, 24 b. FIGS. 1-2 depict a first embodiment where the anchor brackets 24 a, 24 b are directly coupled to individual tension sensors 30 a, 30 b mounted on an anchor frame 32 that is bolted to the seat frame 20. FIGS. 3-4 depict a second embodiment of this invention where the anchor brackets 24 a, 24 b are fastened to an anchor frame 50 that is pivotably mounted on the seat frame 20, and a single strain sensor 52 coupled between the seat frame 20 and the anchor frame 50 measures the force applied to the anchor frame 50 by the anchor brackets 24 a, 24 b. The strain sensors 30 a, 30 b, 52 may be constructed as disclosed, for example, in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,605,877, issued on Aug. 12, 2003 and incorporated herein by reference.

Referring to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-2, the anchor frame 32 is contoured to form right and left pocket areas 34 a, 34 b at the leading edges thereof, and the tension sensors 30 a, 30 b are bolted into the respective pocket areas. The anchor frame 32, in turn, is bolted to the seat frame 20 via the apertures 36 a, 36 b. If desired, the anchor frame 32 can be configured so that the sensors 30 a, 30 b are essentially aligned with the child seat tethers 26 a, in which case the anchor brackets 24 a, 24 b will be straight instead of angled. The anchor frame 32 may be stamped sheet metal, for example, and surface contours 38 may be included to provide increased stiffness. The tension sensors 30 a, 30 b develop electrical signals corresponding to the tension exerted on the anchor brackets 24 a, 24 b, respectively, and such signals are provided to PODS ECU 18 via lines 40 a, 40 b. In cases where the child seat tethers 26 a are formed with a single strip of material passing through the infant or child seat 26, one of the anchor brackets 24 a, 24 b can be welded directly to the anchor frame 32 as shown in FIGS. 3-4, and the single tension sensor 30 a or 30 b will provide an adequate measure of the combined tension applied to the anchor brackets 24 a, 24 b. The PODS ECU 18 utilizes the anchor tension signals to detect the presence of an infant or child seat 26, and also to compensate the occupant seat weight indication (the pressure signal output of pressure sensor 14, for example) or a threshold to which the occupant seat weight indication is compared.

Referring to the embodiment of FIGS. 3-4, anchor frame 50 is contoured to form right and left pocket areas 50 a, 50 b at the leading edges thereof, and the anchor brackets 24 a, 24 b are welded into the respective pocket areas 50 a, 50 b. As with the anchor frame 32, the anchor frame 50 may be stamped sheet metal, for example, and include surface contours 56 to provide increased stiffness. The lower sides of anchor frame 50 are flanged as indicated by the reference numerals 58, each flange 58 having a mounting aperture 60 as shown in FIG. 3. A rod 62 (or two individual posts) securely fastened to the seat frame 20 passes through the apertures 60 to pivotally support the anchor frame 50 with respect to the seat frame 20. The anchor frame 50 is additionally coupled to the seat frame 20 by the tension sensor 52 so that tension applied to the anchor brackets 24 a, 24 b produces a corresponding force that is measured by the sensor 52. Referring to FIG. 3, a mounting tab 66 formed at one end of sensor 52 is fastened to seat frame 20, and a rod 68 formed at the other end of sensor 52 is secured to the anchor frame 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the rod 68 terminates in a cross-piece 68 a that is captured by a pair of oppositely depending tabs 70 a, 70 b formed in anchor frame 50. Tension applied to the anchor brackets 24 a, 24 b tends to rotate the anchor frame 50 toward the infant seat 26 about the rod 62, and the resulting force measured by sensor 52 provides a measure of the total tension. As with the embodiment of FIGS. 1-2, the output of tension sensor 52 is provided to PODS ECU 18, which utilizes the anchor tension signals to detect the presence of an infant or child seat 26, and to compensate the occupant seat weight indication or a threshold to which the occupant seat weight indication is compared.

In summary, the present invention provides a reliable and cost-effective apparatus for measuring the tension exerted on a pair of child seat anchor brackets in a vehicle seat. While the invention has been described in reference to the illustrated embodiments, it should be understood that various modifications in addition to those mentioned above will occur to persons skilled in the art. For example, the strain sensors 30 a, 30 b, 52 may be replaced with suitably mounted strain gauges, and so on. Accordingly, it will be understood that anchor tension measurement devices incorporating these and other modifications may fall within the scope of this invention, which is defined by the appended claims. 

1. Apparatus for measuring tension exerted on a child seat anchor bracket of a vehicle seat, comprising: an anchor frame coupled to the anchor bracket, and secured to a frame of the vehicle seat; and a tension or strain sensor coupled to the anchor frame, wherein said anchor bracket is rigidly secured to said anchor frame and said sensor includes a first portion coupled to said anchor frame and a second portion coupled to the seat frame.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said anchor frame is secured to the seat frame by a pivot coupling, and said sensor is coupled to said anchor frame between said pivot joint and said anchor bracket.
 3. Apparatus for measuring tension exerted on a child seat anchor bracket of a vehicle seat, comprising: an anchor frame rigidly secured to the anchor bracket, and secured to a frame of the vehicle seat; and a tension sensor including a first portion coupled to said anchor frame and a second portion coupled to the seat frame.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said anchor frame is secured to the seat frame by a pivot coupling, and the first portion of said sensor is coupled to said anchor frame between said pivot joint and said anchor bracket.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said anchor frame extends laterally across said seat, and first and second child seat anchor brackets are rigidly secured to laterally opposite ends of said anchor frame such that said first and second anchor brackets are disposed in a gap between back and bottom cushions of said seat.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first portion of said sensor is coupled to said anchor frame at a point intermediate said first and second child seat anchor brackets.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said anchor frame is secured to the seat frame by a pivot coupling, and the first portion of said sensor is coupled to said anchor frame at a point intermediate said pivot joint and said anchor brackets.
 8. An apparatus for measuring a cinching tension on a child seat placed on a bottom cushion of a vehicle seat, said vehicle seat having a pressure sensor disposed therein operative to monitor the weight of an occupant and provide an occupant weight output signal to an occupant detection system electronic control unit, said child seat having first and second tethers affixed thereto for cinching said child seat to said vehicle seat independently of an occupant restraining seat belt system associated with said vehicle seat, said apparatus comprising: first and second laterally spaced child seat anchor brackets straddling said child seat in proximity to said bottom cushion, said first and second child seat anchor brackets being adapted to tensively secure said first and second tethers to said vehicle seat, respectively; an anchor frame rigidly carrying the anchor brackets extending across a lateral width dimension of the vehicle seat and secured to a frame of the vehicle seat by a coupling affecting limited relative movement therebetween; and a tension sensor mountingly coupled between the seat frame and anchor frame, said tension sensor providing an output signal to said occupant detection system electronic control unit as a function of the preset tension in said tether straps.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said tension sensor includes a first portion rigidly secured to said anchor frame and a second portion rigidly secured to said seat frame.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said anchor frame is secured to the seat frame by a pivot coupling, and said sensor is coupled to said anchor frame between said pivot joint and said anchor bracket.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said anchor frame extends laterally across said seat, and first and second child seat anchor brackets are rigidly secured to laterally opposite ends of said anchor frame such that said first and second anchor brackets are disposed in a gap between back and bottom cushions of said seat.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first portion of said sensor is coupled to said anchor frame at a point intermediate said first and second child seat anchor brackets.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said anchor frame is secured to the seat frame by a pivot coupling, and the first portion of said sensor is coupled to said anchor frame at a point intermediate said pivot joint and said anchor brackets.
 14. In a vehicle seat assembly including a generally vertically disposed back cushion, a seat portion including a generally horizontally disposed bottom cushion carried upon a seat frame, pressure sensor means disposed within said seat portion operative to monitor the weight of an occupant and provide an occupant weight output signal to an occupant detection system electronic control unit, and an occupant restraining seat belt, an apparatus for measuring the tension exerted on a plurality of tether straps by a child seat disposed on said bottom cushion, said tethers arranged for securing said child seat to said vehicle seat assembly, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of laterally spaced child seat anchor brackets straddling said child seat, each anchor bracket adapted to tensively secure a corresponding tether affixed to said child seat; an anchor frame rigidly carrying the anchor brackets extending across a lateral width dimension of the vehicle seat an secured to a frame of the vehicle seat by a coupling affecting limited relative movement therebetween; and a tension sensor mountingly coupled between said seat frame and said anchor frame, said tension sensor operative to provide a tension sensor output signal to said occupant detection system electronic control unit as a function of the sensed tension in said tethers.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said occupant detection system electronic control unit is operative to generate an output signal as a function of said occupant weight output signal and said tension sensor output signal.
 16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said anchor frame is secured to said seat frame by a pivot coupling.
 17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said anchor frame defines a pocket area for nestingly receiving and securing said tension sensor therein.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said pocket area is integrally formed adjacent one lateral end of said anchor frame.
 19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said anchor frame defines surface contours therein to enhance characteristic stiffness of said anchor frame.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said surface contours are integrally formed in said anchor frame as a plurality of laterally spaced depressions therein.
 21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said apparatus comprises a plurality of tension sensors, one tension sensor associated with each child seat anchor bracket.
 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein each said tension sensor is operative to provide an associated tension sensor output signal to said occupant detection system electronic control unit.
 23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein: said tension sensor comprises a first portion coupled to said anchor frame and a second portion coupled to the seat frame.
 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said anchor frame is secured to the seat frame by a pivot coupling, and the first portion of said sensor is coupled to said anchor frame between said pivot joint and said anchor bracket.
 25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said anchor frame extends laterally across said seat, and each child seat anchor brackets is rigidly secured to laterally opposite ends of said anchor frame such that each of said anchor brackets are at least partially disposed in said juncture gap between back and bottom cushions of said vehicle seat.
 26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first portion of said sensor is coupled to said anchor frame at a point intermediate first and second child seat anchor brackets.
 27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said anchor frame is secured to the seat frame by a pivot coupling, and the first portion of said sensor is coupled to said anchor frame at a point intermediate said pivot joint and said anchor brackets. 